Recording device



Sept. 22, 1931. R, M nSDA'LE I 1,824,179

RECORDING DEVICE Filed June '7, 1929' 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 9? Z. n o o I e o a 0 Q in 3 o I8 3 o 27 Inv enior.

James RM.77so/a/c.

p 1931 .1. R. M. TISDALE 1,824,179

RECORDING DEVICE Filed June 7/ 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor. Jkmes 7i M77l9o/a/e,

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES JAMES R. M. TISDALE, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA,

ARNOLD IVEY, 01' TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOR TO ancoanme DEVICE Application filed .Tune 7, 1929.

The rincipal objects of this invention are to pro uce a device which will present an accurate record of performance in a definite period and will be applicable for use in 5 connection with various forms of mechanisms but is particularly applicable to motor vehicles to provide a record of the travelling speed over a certain predetermined distance.

A further object is to provide a simple compact and durable mechanism which will function accurately in automatically recording a performanceof the vehicle.

,The principal feature of the invention 16 consists in the novel arrangement of a pair of travelling belts and an endless marking element together with means for placing the marking element between said belts in accordance with the variations in one of the '20 factors to be recorded.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the instrument board of a motor car showing the preferred arrangement of the ap aratus. V

igure 2 is an enlarged perspective detail showing the arrangement of the various elements of the recording mechanism.

Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the device illustrated in Figure 2 with a portion of the outer belt of the recorder removed.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the recorder device with the top plate removed and in I part'section.

In the form of the invention herein illustrated a pair of plates 1 and 2 are rigidly spaced apart by suitable studs 3.

Journalled between the plates 1 and 2 and arranged adjacent to each end thereof are a pair of rollers 4 and 5, around which extends a flexible endless belt 6.

A plate 7 preferably slightly curved in its length, extends between the rollers 4 and .5 and forms a guiding face over which the endless belt moves, said plate ensuring the smooth 0 eration of the belt.

The be t is held taut around the rollers 4 and 5 and over the plate 7 by a suitable tension device herein shown in the form of a roller 8 mounted in the swinging frame Serial No. 369,056.

9 pivoted between the plates 1 and 2 and" held in engagement with the inner side of the endless belt 6 by a spring arm 9 secured at one end to a stud 10 secured in the plate 1. i 53' The surface of the belt 6 is preferably marked with a plurality of spaced lines 11 running parallel and longitudinal of. the belt. These lines form the longitudinal graph lines, the spaces between them representing, in a device applied to a motor vehicle, speed of travel in miles per hour. The cross lines represent distances of 100 feet in length of travel of the vehicle. A shaft 12 journalled in the plates 1 and 2 be- 6% tween the roller 4 and the outer end of the plate has mounted thereon a roller 13 which is provided with sprocket teeth 14 at either end. i

A roller 15 is rotatably mounted between the plates 1 and 2 between the roller 5 and the other end of the plates and a third 'roll er 16 is journalled between the plates 1 and 2 to the rear of theroller 15.

A pair of endless sprocket chain belts'l7 7 extend around the rollers 13, 15 and 16 atthe top and bottom and these engage the sprock et teeth on the roller 13 and are driven there- Each link of the chain belt 17 is provided with awpair of spaced lugs 18 and strips 19 of glass or other suitable transparent material are fastened between the lugs 18 and extend transversely between the two chain belts across the surface of the belt 6.

The spindle of the roller 16 extends through slots 20 in the plates 1 and 2 and bowed springs 21 hold the roller under tension a amst the chain belts 17, maintaining u a uniform tension and contact against the surface of the belt 6 over the plate 7. g H

The frictional contact of the chain belts 17 with their connecting strips 19 engaging" the surface of the belt 6, carries the belt '6 a over the plate 7 at a uniform speed with 98 the chain belt.

The shaft 12 is here shown provided with a worm wheel 22 secured on its end extending below the plate 1 and engaging a worm 23 carried on a horizontal shaft 24 which is 71 connected by a suitable flexible shaft 25 to operate in harmony with the speed of the vehicle, and the ratio of the drive. connection is such that the belt travelling over the i plate 6 will travel the visible distance while the vehicle. is travelling over a. fixed dis? 'tance.

The device is preferably arranged so that i the faceof the travelling belts will be visible be marked by suitable distance divisions.

A suitable form of fly ball governor 28 centrifugally operated members 29' are connected: by the arms 30 to. move the sleeve 351;.l'oosely mounted onthe shaft 24. in a: longitudinali. direction V collar. 32. loosely mounted on" the sleeve gggbetween the flanges33 is provided with a.

'pimextension. which. engages the slotted. end

The: loan: 36 is provided: with an eye 38 which. extends closein. to: the roller 5 be tweenlthe outer surface ofthe belt 6 and'the inner surface; of. the. transparent belt strips 7 lcarriedibythe chain. belt.-

Anaendless. cord 01'. fine chainl39 isrOve through the. eye 38 and: passes looselIy' around the belt. 6 and; is free to. be moved up" and down in accordance withthe movement of;

it the eye 38 carried: by the. bar 36.

I Pawilli be seen th t as the speed of the. vehiclbjvariesthe position of the eye ,38wil-l.

vary inrelationto. the transverse widtliJOfthe, belt 61 and! the parts are. so proportioned and" arranged that the position of the. eye in. relation to the..miles. per hour indication onlthelhel t. 6- will be such. that the. eye will ocurately. follow these indications and. will be! an; accurate speed. indicaton. 6L; It Willibe readily understood. that. as the. means ferdriving thev chain belt. 17 andthe. means for'operating the governor. member2'8' are both connected to a common source of inovementloperating; in oonjuction with the Medriving: mechanism of the vehicle, the belts will move a definite distance lengthwisein a definite distance of travel irrespective of speed. bntithe bar 36 will be operatedtrans vessel-y ofthe'beltback and forth in accordance -with the. variation in speed and as.- the.

through. the; opening 26? in. the: instrument; board 27 and the length. ofi'th'e; opening may is mounted on the shaft 2-1 and the pivotal bar 36 is thus moved the eye 38 feeds the endless cord 39in between the belts so that for the visible distance of the device the cord will lie in a graph line in accordance with the varying speed of the vehicle and grill be visible through thetransparentouter elt.

It will thus be readily appreciated that a movement of the eye guide 38 carriedby the bar 36. quite freelyv and. as the eye. moves transversely it lays the. cord in between the two converging belt members which thns hold it in a graph position The advantages Of SV-(lGVICG. off-hiskindr will be readily appreciated as when carried.

on vehicles of: kind. absolute proof-of the speed of the vehicle up to the point of stop.- ping. for the last of. a definite distance available and. inica'se of accident. there can be no dispute as to/speed. This will be a remarkable advantage in the operat on. of. commercial; vehicles. as well. as be1ng..d1s;

tinctlydesirable on. all forms. off/vehicles The use of thedevice is.not,.however,.con.- fined to vehicular. operation as it can; be applied to various other. commercial. uses to'provide a graph instantly readable covering. apredetermined. period, whether oftime.

or distance. 7 p t 1 For instance, the device can be apphedto a steam. plant to indicatedboiler pressures over atcertain. period of time the belts being.

driven by a suitable. clock :mechanism instead.

of by a" speed or distance travel shaft and the graphlcontrolling member will. beeperated by a. pressure responsive device.

It will also be understood that the actual] construction of. the device may be varied very considerably .wlthout depart ng from:

the spirit of the invention which is to provide a pair. of. movablesurfaces. to operate in close proximity to hold a variable-member in a placed. relation therebetweon throughout a certain distance of travel; ,What i claim as my invention is i- 1. A recording device,.comprising a transparent movable member,..a.surface arrangedin close association with. said member, an

endless indicator" element adaptedto be laid between said. movable member and said surface and to. be held thereby in. a. visible position, and a variable-element operating, to place said indicator member between said surfaces. 4 a

2. Arecordi-ng device, comprising an endless movable transparent .member', a supporting surface arranged in close proximity to the inner face of said endless member, an endless flexible marking element adapted to be engaged by and held in adjusted positions between said transparent member and said supporting surface, and a variable member operating in transverse relation to the direction of movement of said endless memher said variable member having a guide engaging the endless marking element and guiding it between said supporting surface and transparent member.

3. A recording device, comprising a pair of endless belts arranged to move in close proximity for a predetermined distance, one of said belts being transparent, an endless flexible marking element extending between said closely related portions of the endless belts, and a variable element operatively engaging said marking element and placing it between said moving belts.

4. A recording device, comprising an endless belt divided by transversely spaced longitudinal markings, a. transparent belt arranged in close proximity to the aforesaid belt for a predetermined length, a flexible endless marking element arranged between the aforesaid belts and adapted to be gripped thereby in their engaging length, a transversely movable member operatively engaging said flexible endless marking member and adapted to lay it between the aforesaid belts, and variable means for operating said transverse member.

5. A recording device, comprising a rigid surface, a roller arranged at each end of said rigid surface, an endless belt extending over said. rigid surface around said rollers, rollers spaced beyond the aforesaid rollers, an endless belt extending over the latter rollersand in juxtaposition to the aforesaid belt over the rigid surface, a narrow flexible endless cord arranged between said belts and adapted to be gripped between the juxtaposed portions, and a variable member movable transversely of said belts and arranged between the same and guiding said flexible marking member in between the converging portions of said belts.

6. A recording device, comprising a frame having a pair of plates rigidly spaced apart, a rigid surface extending between said plates for a portion of the length of the frame, rollers arranged at the ends of said.

plates, rollers spaced beyond the ends of said plates and beyond the aforesaid rollers, an endless belt extending around the rigid surface and the inner rollers, an endless belt arranged in close proximity to the inner belt over the rigid surface and extending around the outer rollers, sprocket means for driving said belts, a flexible marker member extending between said belts, and a variable means for moving said marker member from side to side of said belt.

, 7 A recording device, comprising a frame having an endless belt arranged between the sides thereof, an endless belt of greater length than the aforesaid belt operating in close proximity with a portion of the length thereof and having a transparent central portion, markings arranged on the inner belt dividing its width, :1 flexible endless marker arranged between said belts, variable means for placing said marker between said belts, and means for driving the outer belt.

8. A recording frame, a fixed surface arranged between the sides of said frame, rollers arranged between the'sides of the frame at each end of the fixed surface, rollers arranged between the sides of the frame beyond the aforesaid rollers, a sprocket on one of'said latter rollers, a spricket chain extending around the sprocket roller and its mating roller, a transparent beltconnected with said sprocket, a belt divided transversely extending over the rigid surface and around the inner rollers and having a portion operating in close proximity with the inner side of the transparent belt, an endless flexible marking member arranged between the aforesaid belts and encircling the inner belt, a transversely movable, guide member through which the flexible marking member passes, and variable means for operating the means for guiding said marker.

9. A recording device, comprising an endless belt having longitudinal markings spaced transversely to represent a variable indication, a transparent endless belt extending over'the aforesaid belt in close proximity therewith for a limited distance, a flexible marking member arranged between said belts, a transversely movable member engaging the latter flexible marking member and adapted to lay it between the aforesaid belts, and means including a resilient element for operating the transversely movable member in unison with the movement of said belts.

10. A recording device, comprising a frame, a pair of spaced rollers extending between said frame, an endless belt extending around said rollers and having graduation markings dividing its transverse width, a transparent endless belt of greater length than the aforesaid belt and extending around same, means for holding the latter belt in close proximity to the former belt over a limited distance, a shaft operatively connected with the latter belt, a shaft supported from the frame operatively engaging the aforesaid shaft, a transversely operable member mounted in saidframe, an endless flexible marking member arranged between said belts and guided by the transversely movable member, and means operated by the second shaft for operating said transdevice, comprising a r Versely moxiable member inv relation to the speed thereof. I p 11 1. A recording device, comprising f a frame, a graduated endless belt arranged bettveen the sidesof the frame, a transparent belt encircling; the aforesaid beltand' 'ar-- ranged in close proximity thereto :for' a limited distance, an endless marking'member extending between said-belts, a trans versel-y slidabl'e member in said frame adapted to guide said marking member, a shaft arranged longitudinally of the frame, a fly ball governor arranged'on said shaft, means connected With the fly ball governor adapted to move the transverse member in relation tothe speed of the governor, and means connected-With said shaft forjoperat ingsaid belt in relative relation 123 A recording device, comprising a 2'0" fran1e,a=-- shaft mounted on said frame, a

shaft extending across said frame and opera ti'vel'yconnected 'to the aforesaid shaft, a. sprocket wheel mounted' on the latter shaft, rollers mount-ed between the sides or the 25' frame, a pair of sprocket chains extending around said'sprocket and said rollers, aplurality of transparent bars connected between the links of theadjacent chain belts, an endless belt arranged inside of said 30 transparent belt, means for supporting the inner belt in closefproiriinityto the outer belt,-a flexible indicator endless member encircling the inner belt, and-means. operating transverselyQ of the: frame and operatively 33 engaging the first mention'ed shaft toeffect the transverse'travel to operate the placing of the flexible marker member? w recording device, comprising a frame, rollers mounted between the sides of 7 0? said frame, an endless belt having a plurality of parallel markings extending longit'udinalliwthereof and representing graphicallymiles per hour, a transparent flexible belt arranged outside the aforesaid belt and "4?; dispesed in closeco-operative rel'ationwitlr I a'portion of the latter belt, a guide-trans versel'y arranged in said' frame, an endless niarker memberencircling the inner belta-nd extending" through said guide and adapted "50 to be placed: by said guide between said belts, meansregulatedi'by'th'e speed: of the operation of" the mechanism for effecting" the placing of said:- guide member, meansoperatively connected with the mechanismforregnlati'ngthe travel of saidbelts, and;

means for synchronizing. the movement of: saiddriving.means. I 7 l v e o JTAMES TISDALEV GUi 

